Nonprofits
A simple system for never missing a grant deadline
Deadlines don't kill applications — the two weeks before them do. Here's a lightweight system that keeps you ahead.
A simple system for never missing a grant deadline
Missed deadlines are almost never a calendar problem. They're a decision problem: you didn't decide early enough whether to apply.
The three-stage pipeline
- Watching — funder is on your radar; no action yet.
- Deciding — RFP is out; you have 5 business days to say go/no-go.
- Drafting — decision is go; work is scheduled backwards from the deadline.
Move funders through the stages weekly. Anything in Deciding for more than a week is a no by default.
Work backwards from the deadline
- T-14 days: full draft.
- T-7 days: internal review complete.
- T-3 days: submission portal tested with attachments.
- T-1 day: submit. Never submit on the day of.
When something has to slip
Cut scope, not review time. A shorter narrative that's been read by another human beats a full-length one nobody proofed.
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